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January !!th, 1938.
<br />
<br /> llth - By eliminating dead wood from the payrolls and requiring all who were retained
<br />to render service co~mehsurate with pay received, the efficiency of every department of the
<br />City has been increased.
<br /> 12th - Increased the a~,~.ount oaid into the Sinking Fund of the Water Department, from
<br />$3a, 5oo.oo to $4o,000.00.
<br /> 13th - Won the suit~ brought by the railroads through the Corporation Co~mission, for
<br />reduction of taxes amounting to approximately $25,000.00.
<br /> l~th - Required gasoline te~aks above-ground to build retaining walls, which greatly
<br />lessens the fire hazard.
<br /> 15th - R~quired the promoters sad bonding comoanies to agree to chsnge the wording of
<br />the Bill (which they are going to have put through this session of the Legislature) so that
<br />Portsmouth can retain its independenbe. Had this Bill gone through as origir~ally drawn, the
<br />people of Portsmouth might have been saddled with a debt of at least one and one-half million
<br />dollars and eh' annual sewage tax of more than one hundred thousand dollars, even though a
<br />large maJ_or~ity of our people had voted against it. This is probably the most important thing
<br />that this Council and City Manager have done, or ever will have the ~hance to do, for Ports-
<br />mouth.
<br /> 16th - Made it possible for street h~ds and other employees who work by the day, to
<br />make as much e~s five and one-~lf days per week.
<br /> 1yth - Shortened the working time of all office employees from nine to ei~h~ hours per
<br />day, with half-day off, on Saturday.
<br /> 18th - By reducing the City's debt, we are now saving the City ~1,500.00 per month in-
<br />terest, which amounts to ~lg,O00.O0 a year.
<br /> 19th -D~ing the year,_we collected between $150,000.00 and $200~000.00 back taxes,
<br />some of which had been delinquent for many years. We hope, during this year, to collect enough
<br />back taxes to finish paying the Floating Debt.'~
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. ~,awrence that the Council go on record as congratulating the City
<br />Manager for the splendid work-performed by him for the City during the fiscal year of 193~, was
<br />adopted.
<br />
<br />The following communication from the City Attorney was read:
<br />
<br /> "In reference to the letter of Mr. George R. Pettish, referred to me at your
<br />last meeting, in which he requests a refund of $41.20 for taxes paid in 1936. a~._d 1937, I beg
<br />~o report th~.t the property, in question is ass~essed to James S. Par_.~sh as 2~16 18 Airline
<br />Turnpike, wi3h a value of ~00.00 on the buil¢ing. I find from the records in the office of
<br />C.soptain Shannon that the building was dsmaged to t~he extent of~ $1,020.00, by fire on November
<br />2~th, 1935. The house in question Was razed short±y after the fire and there was no building
<br />on the land during the years 1~36 and 193Y-
<br /> Mr. James S. Parrish should be refunded $21.B0 for the year 1936 and 420.00
<br />for the year 193~. The Commissioner of the Revenue has removed the assessment of the build-
<br />ing from his books for 1938."
<br />
<br />filed.
<br />
<br />Me,ion of Mr. Fox to concur in the Attorney's recommendation, was adopted.
<br />Report of the City Collector for December, 193~, was received smd ordered
<br />
<br />The following ordinance, laid on table at last meeting, was taken up and read:
<br />
<br />"AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF SIXTY-SEVEN THOUSAND
<br />DOLLARS ($6~,000.00) BONDS OF THE CITYOF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA,
<br />FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAVING AND CURBING CERTAIN STREETS OF THE
<br />CITY,~AKING PROVISION FOR FO~ OF SAID BONDS AND FOR THE PAYMENT
<br />THEP~OF."
<br />
<br />vote:
<br />
<br />On motion of Mr. Hutehins, said ordinance was adopted, and by the following
<br />
<br /> Ayes:. Fox, Grimes, Howard, Hutehins, Lawrence, Warren, Weiseman, Wilson
<br /> Nays: None
<br />
<br />The following ordinance, laid on table at last meeting, was taken up end read:
<br />
<br />'~AN ORDINANCE IMPOSING A~D COLLECTING TAXES ON REAL ESTATE:
<br />GIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY AND ~ACHINERY, WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE CITY
<br />OF PORTSI~OUTH, VIRGINIA, FOR THE PURPOSE OF P~ISING REVENUE FOR THE
<br />SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PDBLIC FREE SCHOOLS, AND TO PAY
<br />iNTEREST AND SINKING FUND ON THE PUBLIC DEBT FOR THE YEAR BEGINNING
<br />JANUARY let, 1~938."
<br />
<br />vote:
<br />
<br />On motion of M~. Hutehins, said ordinance was adopted, and by the following
<br />
<br /> Ayes: Fox~ Grimes, Howard, Hutohins, Lawrence, Warren, Weiseman, Wilson
<br /> S'
<br /> Nay . None
<br />
<br />NEW BUSINESS -
<br />
<br />The following letter was read and ordered filed:
<br />
<br /> ~At the last meeting of our League, we went on record to extend you and your
<br />honorable body a vote of thanks and appreciation for the consideration of our problems and co-
<br />operation for the best interest of the people of Madison Ward the past year.
<br /> Hoping you a su¢cessfull and happy New Year, I
<br /> Respectfully,
<br /> (Signed) Harry E. Phelps, President.~
<br />
<br />
<br />
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